Pedestal for articles of furniture and the like



Oct. 4, 1960 G. MALLETPREVOST, JR 2,954,953

PEDESTAL FOR ARTICLES OF FURNITURE AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 28, 1959,

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GEORGE MALLE 7'-PREVO$T, JR.

ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1960 e. MALLET-PREVOST, JR 2,954,953

PEDESTAL FOR ARTICLES OF FURNITURE AND THE LIKE INVENTOR GEORGE MALLEF-PRE' V031 JR.

ATTORNEY George Mallet-Prevost, Jr., 212 Thomas Drive, Monroe Park,Wilmington 6, Del.

Filed Oct. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 849,377

6 Claims. (Cl. 248-158) This invention relates to the field of furnitureand consists more particularly in new and useful improvements in a'pedestal or support adapted for use in connection with various articlesof furniture, such as tables, chairs, benches and the like. i

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pedestal consistingof two groups, respectively of identical parts which when assembled,form a central upright support and sets of upper and lower horizontalsupports.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pedestal for articles offurniture and the like, which is readily adaptable for mass production,due to its simplicity and design of construction and the fact that it iscomposed of two groups of identical parts which can be produced involume with a minimum of effort and expense.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivepedestal for articles of furniture and the like, the parts of which canbe produced and distributed in the so-called do-it-yourself kits.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pedestal forarticles of furniture and the like, the parts of which are formed forsimple and easy assembly.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a, pedestal forarticles of furniture and the like, wherein the parts, when assembled,each act to support another part, thereby providing a rigid constructionfor both vertical and lateral support. f

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in the novel featuresherein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designatesimilar parts throughout the several Fig. 1 is a perspective view of theassembled pedestal with a table-top shown in dotted lines;

' Fig. 2 is a view ofthe pedestal-in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the pedestal;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the identical upright members;and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the identical horizontal members.

In the drawings, the upright support or standard of the pedestal isgenerally represented by. the numeral 6 and consists of four identicalmembers 7, 8, 9 and 10. These members may be formed of.wood, plastic,metal or other suitable material and as will be seen in Fig. 4,illustrating one member 7, as an example, each comprises an elongatedstraight strip which is rectangular in cross-section, having side faces7a and 7b and edge faces 70 and 7d. The width of each upright strip ispreferably of a dimension twice that of its thickness for purposeshereinafter described and its length is determined by the particular useintended.

Two groups of identical horizontal members respectively form the baseand top supports for the pedestal.

tates Patent 2 As seen in Fig. 1, members '11, 12, 13 and 14 form thebase support and members 15, 16, 17 and 18 form the top support. In theform of the invention here illustrated, it will be seen from Fig. 5showing one horizontal member 11, as an example, each of the horizontalmembers 11-18 is substantially rectangular in crosssection, having sidefaces 11a and 11b, a bottom edge face 11c and a top edge face 11d. Thebottom edge face 110 is at right angles to the inner end face He, whilein the form of the invention shown, the top edge face 11d is downwardlyinclined from the inner end face 11a.

These members may be in the form of a triangle or as shown, the outerend may be cut off to form an end face 11 The individual members of therespective groups, in

addition to being identically contoured, are also identi V cally drilledto receive screws for assembling. As will be seen in Fig. 4, the uprightmember 7 is drilled through a side face adjacent both ends, to providescrew openings 19, arranged in paris longitudinally aligned to registerwith complimentary openings 20 drilled through the side walls ofrespective horizontal members 11 etc, adjacent their inner end faces.Likewise, each of the upright members is drilled as at 21 intermediateits ends toregister with complementary openings 22 in an edge face of anadjacent upright member when said members are assembled.

In this connection, it will be noted that in eachupright member, theopenings 21 are staggered or off-set with respect to the edge faceopenings 22 in that particular member, so that when screws are insertedthrough the respective openings, there will be no interference by onescrew contacting another. It will also be noted that the positioning ofthe screw openings 21 and 22 is such that by simply reversing theposition of one upright memher, with respect to another, its side faceopenings 21 will register with the edge face openings 22 of an adjacentmember. In other words, the distance of the lowermost side face opening21 in member 7, from the bottom end of that member, is the same as thedistance of the uppermost edge face opening 22 from the top end of thatmember, and the same is true with respect to the relationship of theuppermost side face opening 21 and the lowermost edge face opening 22.Thus, if an adjacent upright member 8, for example, is reversed withrespect to member 7, its respective side face openings 21 would registerwith the edge face openings 22 of member 7. j

The assembly of the pedestal will best be understood by reference toFigs. 1 and 3 where it will be seen that each of the four identicalupright members 7, 8, 9 and 10 is arranged with its innermostlongitudinal edge face in abutting relation to the longitudinal sideface of an adjacent member with the inner corners of respective membersconverging on a common longitudinal axis. Alternate side faces of theabutting upright members are therefore tangential to said common axis sothat each In assembling the base support, the identical members 11, 12,13 and 14 are each inserted with their squared inner ends 11e forexample, lying in the right angular channel formed by two abuttingupright members. The

squared inner end of each of the base horizontal members abuts a sideface of one upright member and is secured to the side face of anotherupright member by members. In other words, the squared edges of thelower horizontal members face downwardly and are arranged at rightangles with respect to the upright members while the squared edges ofthe top support members are reversed and face upwartfly, at rightanglesto the upright members.

The pedestal of the present invention is adaptable for various uses. Forexample, it may form the central support for a circular table, or two ormore such pedestals may be arranged in longitudinally spaced relation toform the supports of an elongated rectangular table. It is alsocontemplated that this pedestal maybe adapted to serve as a support forchairs, benches, coffee tables and various other articles of furniture.

Although not shown in the drawings, it will be understoodthat anysuitable means maybe employed for scour ing a table top to the tophorizontal support members to afford the necessary rigidity ofstructure.

It might also be pointed out that due to the symmetry of this structure,the pedestal may be rested horizontally with the top and base supportsboth engaging the floor, to serve in the nature of a saw horse supportfor a coffee table or the like. In this instance, the two lowermostmembers of both the top. and base supports would rest upon the floorserving as legs and the two uppermost members would support the coffeetable top.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the invention may be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art.

without further description, it being borne in mind that numerouschanges may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from thespirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. A pedestal for articles of furniture and the like, comprising a groupof identical upright members and at least one group of identicalhorizontalsupport members, each of said upright members being ofsubstantially rectangular cross-section and arranged 'with alongitudinal side face thereof inabutting relation to a longitudinaledge face of another upright member, adjacent corners of respectiveupright members converging at a,

common longitudinal axis, each of said horizontal mem-- bers being ofsubstantially rectangular crosssection arranged at right angles to andat one end of an upright member, with an end thereof abutting the sideface of an adjacent upright member, and means for securing said membersin said abutting relations. '7

2. A pedestal for articles of furniture and the like comprising a groupof identical upright members and at least one group of identicalhorizontal support members, said upright members beingiof substantiallyrectangular cross-section and arranged tangentially withrespect to acommon longitudinal axis, each in edge-Wise abutment with theside faceof another upright member, each of ,said horizontal support membersbeing of substantially rectangular cross-section and arranged at rightangles to and at one'end'of an upright membeigwith an end thereofabutting the side face of an adjacent upright member, and means for.securing said members in said abutting relations. I r

3. A pedestal for articles of furniture and the like, comprising fouridentical upright members and at least four identical horizontal supportmembers, said upright members being of substantially rectangularcross-section and arranged tangentially with respect to a commonlongitudinal axis,'.each in. edgewise abutmentwith the side faceofanother upright member, each of said horizontal support members beingof substantially rectangular cross: section and arranged at right anglesto and at one end of an upright member, with anend thereof abutting theside face of an adjacent upright member, and means for securing saidmembers insaid abutting relations.

4.. A pedestal as claimed in claim 3, including two sets offouridentical horizontalmembers, one arranged at each'end of said set ofupright members.

5..A pedestal for articles of furniture andv the like, comprisingfour'identical upright members of substantially rectangularcross-section, arranged tangentially with respect to a commonlongitudinal axis, each in edgewise abutment with the side face ofanother upright member, a basecomprising four identical horizontalmembers of substantially]rectangular cross section, each arranged atright angles to and at the lower extremity of an upright member, with anend thereof abutting the side face of an adjacent upright member, a topsupport of at least two identical horizontal members of substantiallyrectangular cross-section, each arranged atright anglesto and atadjacent upright member.

References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I1,603,595 Hansen Q ou. 19,-1926 f FOREIGN PATENTS 803,720 Germany Apr.8,1951

